Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

Dammit! I thought annoyed by the noise burning in my scull. I wanted to open my eyes, but I was too exhausted to, so I took the easier way out and kept them close.

After a while, I heard a door open, but choose to act as if I'm sleeping.

"How is she?" I heard the voice of my father say. He seemed geninely exhausted, tired, but mostly worried.

A stranger woman's voice said, "she'll be okay. Apparently, she hadn't eaten for long, and exhausted herself overload. And from what I heard the heart break she went through had increased the amount of hormones which affect the physical body due to its imotions, so it weakened her. But her body is now okay since we applied all the protines she lacked." And with tha I heard the door open then shut close.

I felt footsteps moving, and then a chair did. Next thing I knew, someone held my hand in his, and my father said, "I can't lose you." As he tightened his hold.

He was silent for a while, but I knew he was crying since I heard him sniff. "You were the only thing that kept me walking ever since your mother died. You look the split image of her, same personality, same kindness. But you were always unique in your own way that you weren't your mother anyway. But you were so similar anyways." He said with his voice cracking at the end and he squeazed my hand tighter.

"Get well soon, my love." He said squeazing my hand again, and kissing my temple. He let go and left.

I wanted to get up. I really tried. I wanted to wipe dad's tears, erase them forever. But it felt as if there was something pushing me into whatever I was laying on.

A few moments of silence, and with the beeping is the only sound, the door opened again, and closed behind the one who came.

"Maia," I heard Johanthan's voice call, making my heart beat increase. He came.

The beeping hurried a little, but I ignored it. I focused on Johnathan. He held my hand in his, and held it up. Seconds later, I felt his lips plant on knuckles and linger there, making my heart swell.

"I- uhm." Johnathan started clearing his throat, "I screwed everuthing we could have. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you. Alicia told me, after she beat me up pretty bad, that you just found out about me. I'm sorry I judged you, it wasn't my place. It's only that I really liked Red Death and you at the same time. But after all this hurt I caused you, I think it's better if I left." And he let go of my hand.

My heart beated fast and repeatedly, and the machine that obviously was monitoring my heart, beeped faster in a what seemed to be a dangerous speed, due to the voices bursting to the room and almost screaming. I heard them calling for Johnathan to leave, making my heart beat faster.

The latest thing I heard before everything was back to silence, was Mason's voice screaming at Johnathan for entering my room in the first place, and a voice of him punching Johnathan.

~~

Silence. It was the only thing that invited me as I regained my sences. I wasn't as tired as last time. Last time.

Johnathan was leaving me, thinking he was such a bad influence. I opened my eyes, and saw that I wwas sleeping in a hospital bedroom. I started moving, but noticed that the heart monitor was still beeping next to me, and an IV connected to my veins in my left arm.

I started moving, but everything was sore, and tired. I looked around, and saw Shawn and Alicia slumped in a chair across the room sleeping together, making a smile grow on my face. I looked around me, and saw that Jace was also asleep, but in a chair right next to me.

I stirred in my place making some noice as I tried to get out of the bed, unfortunately making Jace wake up.

"Maia?" He said still half asleep. As soon as he opened his eyes entierly, he jumped from his seat and into my side helping me get back calling my name in enthusiasm.

"You're finally awake!" He exclaimed happily making both Alicia and Shawn wake up.

"Where's Johnathan?" I askd hurriedly. His face turned blank, and then said, "he's outside."

I started getting up, but he stopped me as well as did Alicia and Shawn. Alicia envloped me in a tight hug, one which I tried to return harder, but couldn't since I was very tired.

After a while, we parted, to see that Johnathan was standing on the door, with both Jace and Shaw absent. The two had left and called him in. As soon as Alicia saw him, she looked at me and said, "good luck." Then left the room leaving me with Johnathan.

"Please don't leave." Was the first thing I said as soon as Alicia closed the door. Johnathan diverted his eyes from the floor to mine shocked and asked, "how did you know?"

"I heard you. I heard everything you said. And it's okay. Just please don't leave me." I said as I felt my eyes tear.

Johnathan hurried to my side and hugged me to him and kept chanting, "I won't. I won't." And I drained my eyes on his shouler.

"I'm sorry." I said after my tears were done. Johnathan pulled away to look me in the face. "What for?" He asked.

"For not telling you the truth right away." I said diverting my gaze away. "I should've come straight to you, and told you who I was. I shouldn't have kept it aw-" I was chanting and blabbering, but stopped when I felt his lips cover mine to sop my stupid rant. I kissed him back, savoring the sweet taste of his lips on mine. Even if it was I don't know how long, I did miss his taste and kisses.

To my discomfort, Johnathan pulled away and said, "that's better." Making me slap him on the chest and laugh.

He hugged me again, and I returned it feeling content. We were comfortable in our embrace, when Johnathan parted us again to look at me, and said, "will you be my girlfriend?"

~*~

*four months later."

"You WHAT?" I asked Jace while sitting with him on my bed.

"Again," he said sighing, "I proposed to Selene. I just want to spend the rest of my life with her." He said smiling.

"OH MY GOD!" I squealed jumping in my place up and down happy for the update in my older brother's love life.

Throughout those four months, things happened, Shawn and Alicia couldn't have been happier, Justin and Ashley are good friends, but still refuse my attempts in making things uncomfortable between them as if they were in a relationship. It never worked. Mason broke up with his stupid girlfriend and now he's 'single and ready to mingle' according to what he said.

Johnathan and I couldn't be better. We're both in a relationship at schoo, and known as the boxers couple in the arena, still as Red Death and S.J. It was his idea, not mine. But still, I accepted.

And apparrently, my brother is getting married, "what did she say?" I asked.

"Oh, about that," he said frowning. The act didn't work on me, since he was happy earlier.

"She said yes." I said confidently before he could say anything. "It's more than obvious."

Jace cracked a laugh, and said, "yeah, yeah. She did." He was grinning like there was no tomorrow.

I jumped from my place, and hugged Jace with all my might. "You're getting married!" I exclaimed happily.

"Yes I am!" He exclaimed back

"Oh," Jace started after a while, "and she wants you to be the maid of honor, too." He said pulling back, but then putting a hand on his lips as if he just revealed a secret, making me laugh.

"I'll pretend I didn't know." I said smiling.

"Pretend you didn't know what?" I heard a voice from the door. I jumped happily at the sound, and rushed to hug my boyfriend.

Johanthan returned the hug as furiously as mine as he burried his face in my neck. He always did that whenever we're together.

"So," he said pulling back, "what is it you don't know?"

"That I'm your sister's maid of honor." I said smiling. Johnathan looked behind me and at Jace and said, "am I your best man?" Making me giving him his best smile.

"Sorry, dude," Jace said. He was the only one who could not fall for his smile. "It's too late. When I was young, Justin and I promised to be each other's best men. So the seat's already taken."

"Oh, it's okay." Johnathan said smiling.

"You can stand behind me." I said looking at him lovingly in our embrace. I had to look up, but being in his arms was worth everything.

"I'd love that, specially that I can star all I want at your butt without anyone being caught or anyone saying anything against it, unless they want to ruin the wedding." He said all the time looking at me intencely.

"Uhm," I heard a voice behind me pulling us from our daze. "I'm here, dude! And it's my sister you're talking to." Jace said as we looked at him.

"And you're marrying mine." Johnathan said making me double laughing.

"I know." Jace said pulling past us and walking out of the room. As soon as he left, I grabbed Johnathan's arm and rather forcefully pulled him in the room and he closed the door behind him on instinct.

As soon as we stood in the middle of the room, I stopped and he caged me in his arms making me flushed against him.

We stared at each other. No words needed to be said. Our eyes expressed our love to the other. But Johnathan was never content, so he whispered, "I love you." Making my heart swell.

"I love you too." I said in a whisper with all truth dripping from my voice. He lowered his head and finally let his lips touch mine. It was a perfect sign to unleash the zoo. I never knew I had one, and if I did, I would've visited it earlier.

Johnathan deepened the kiss, tilting his head, and mine in the process as he put his right hand behind my neck and the other tanged with my hair behind my head. He scrubbed the skin with the tips of his fingers, knowing I loved the feeling. He started moving his hands to the sides of my body and descending, making me shiver everywhere he touched. Finally after what felt like eterinity, he reached my hips, and tugged indicating for me to jump, which I did. He held me tightly as he moved to what I guess my bed, all the while not parting away.

All of a sudden, he dropped me on the bed making us part away. He looked at me from above with lust and love filling his eyes, all of a sudden falling to hover on top of me, all the while our eyes connected in a heated gaze. His lips touched mine again very lightly as he murmured, "God, I love you Maia." He said in a whisper, making my heart melt.

I looked back, tilting my head upwards making our lips touch harder and said, "I love you too, my Johnathan." And pulling his head down making him kiss me at last. And with that, we sprnt the rest of the night in a loving embrace. Touching, loving, and never letting go of the other, desperate for the feel of the loved one.

~*~

"What are you wearing for the engagement party?" Johnathan asked as he was taking me home after school, his hand in mine, and music in the back ground.

"I don't know. I didn't go dress shopping yet." I said sighing. The engagement party of Jace and Selene is this Friday, and it's already Wednesday. I had set an appoitment as a salon with the bride to be and Alicia, Ashley had her own stylist, so she didn't want to come. And I hadn't thought about the dress yet.

All of a sudden, Johnathan swerved the car harshly and changed roads.

"Where are we going?" I asked shocked by the sudden movement.

"Shopping." Johnathan replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. I had a quizzical look on my face, but then it all came up to me. He's buying me a dress.

"Oh, No. You're not buying me a dress." I said all of a sudden.

"Why not?" He asked confused looking at me for a second.

"Because.." I said trainiling off, not knowing what to answer. "Exactly." He said exclaiming. "There's no reason not to buy you one. After all, I ned a dress shirt matching your dress, so you'll buy me one.

" He finished.

I looked at him lovingly, and moved to kiss him on the cheek, making my lips linger for a while.

As I pulled back, I saw the huge smile on his lips as he drove. He looked at me and I acolded, "eyes on the road, big boy." Making him chuckle and do as I command.

Soon after a couple of songs later, we reached the mall. We got out of the car and walked in it hand in hand. We entered the first dress shop. We found several good dresses, but none were perfect in my eyes.

After earching three shops, we stopped for some foor, and we bought some pizza and had some fun.

When we entered the fourth shop, Johnathna found a light purple dress that fascinated both our eyes. Without saying another word, I snatched the dress from his hands and headed to the changing room. I put it on, and looked at myself in the mirror. It fit perfectly. All of a sudden, I felt the curtain opening, and saw Johnathan enter from the mirror. He stood frozen in place as he saw me, and checked me out.

I turned around and pulled my phone out of my pants pocket, and handed it to him saying, "

take a picture it lasts longer."

He didn't take it, instead, he pocketed out his phone and snapped a picture of me as I posed. "Better. My new screen background." He said grinning at me. I grinned back and pecked him on the lips.

"So, it is." I said. "And now, you leave. I need to change." I said pushing him out of the small room her invaded. He left laughing, and I heard someone say something about his attitude being inappropriate for entering the changing room.

I changed hurriedly, and held the dress delicately in my hands. I got out and went to give the dress to the cashier with Johnathan alongside me. I saw a man who wore the shop's unifore look at us scowling. He probably was the one to scowl at Johnathan earlier.

After many protsets, Johnathan paid for the dress, mostly because I didn't have money with me. And we left the shop.

We went to another one where it sold men's clothes. In there, we searched for a matching dress shirt, according to Johnathan's requires, and we did.

~*~

I just finished at the salon, and texted Johnathan to come pick me up. I was the latest, so Selene and Alicia had to ditch me, opposite to their wants, and left me alone.

After I sent the text, I went to the changing room, and put on the dress delicately. I wore my shoes, and made sure to put the light scarf that came around my elbows and back, and went outside to wait for Johnathan.

I didn't need to wait. He was already here an was waiting. As soon as he saw me walk out, he got up with his mouth open and a look of astonishment on his face.

"Hey." I said geinning and I looked at the floorto hide my blush. I heard him clear his throat and say, "Hi!" Excitedly, then again, "I mean, hi." In an overly casual voice, making me laugh.

He walked to my said, and held his elbow for me, "may I?" He asked.

"You may." I replied smiling taking his elbow as he walked us to the car. He opened the door for me, and helped me enter since it was a little difficult with my maxi dress.

During the drive, we goofed off, had fun, cracked jokes, sang to songs on the radio. Until we reached my house, where the party was held.

Johnathan goy out of the car hurriedly, and opened the door for me, outstretching his hand for me to take.

I took it gracefully, and stepped out of the car. He kept standing with our bodies flushed together. The one he outstreched earlier still holding to mine, and the other circling my waist.

"Did I tell you how gorgeous you look tonight?" He asked making me blush and look down. He put his hand on my chin making me look up at him. He looked gorgeous as well. He had combed his haoir to the side as he had a new hair cut.

Johnathan lowered his head and said, "I love you." Whispering, and sealing it with a kiss taking the breath out of me.

After what felt like forever, he pulled back giving me a chance to breathj and say, "I love you too." Resting my forehead on his.

~*~*~

This is the latest chapter before the epilogue. I hope you liked my story. And please give me feedback on your thoughts.

Oh, and it would mean a lot to me if you clicked that star on the side.

~R!